Package stabilizer



June 3, 1969 B. B. JoNEs PACKAGE STABILIZER Sheet Filed March 2l, 1967 Omf BfA/JAM BY I M@ B. B. JONES PACKAGE STABILIZER June 3, 1969 *e of 2 Sheet Filed March 2l, 1967 4 .Nvw NMA.. WV

JNVENTOR. EEM//w/VJo/vas ole/V661 United States Patent O 3,447,482 PACKAGE STABILIZER Benjamin B. Jones, Savannah, Ga., assignor to Savannah Sugar Refining Corporation, Savannah, Ga., a corporation of New York Filed Mar. 21, 1967, Ser. No. 624,878 Int. Cl. B61b 9/00; B611' 3/04; B6lk 1/00 U.S. Cl. 104-172 7 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A track mounted stabilizer plate connterweighted toward a package guiding datum position and adapted to intercept and be moved along the track by packages conveyed toward the plate, presenting an increasing resistance to further movement until a predetermined point has been reached, whereupon a signal is automatically given for lateral or vertical transfer of the packages out of the ambit of the stabilizer plate so that the plate can automatically return along the track to the datum position where it guides and Orients subsequent packages. The motive devices for changing the motion of the packages may be such as a belt conveyor or fluid pressure actuated ram pusher. The package stabilizer is particularly suited for the right angle transfer of side-by-side serially accumulated single les of packages such as five pound bags of sugar into an accumulator for transfer into a shipping carton.

Background of the invention In many assembly line operations, it is necessary or desirable to assemble individual like articles into groups of aligned articles. An instance of where such grouping is especially necessary is in the assembling of packages (including boxes, lbags, bottles, tubes, cans, etc.) into an array that will form one layer in a shipping carton. If the package filling and closing apparatus used is such that filled, closed packages are serially, discretely ejected from the filling and closing apparatus onto transport means such as a conveyor belt and the package shipping carton is adapted to receive, for instance, a four package by six package rectangular array as each layer therein, it is apparent that the'packages have to be consolidated so that adjacent ones in each row abut one another in a facewise relationship, and side-by-side rows have to be formed from the single row output. In former years, even on automated assembly line packaging machines, such assembling of filled and closed packages into carton layer arrays, was done manually. The array assembling operators could keep visual tabs on the packages coming to their station and set aright any package which, through 'bumping into another or part of the machinery, had tumbled over or had gotten knocked into an improper orientation.

With the advent of automatic, mechanized package accumulators, many packaging problems were alleviated, but misoriented packages became a greater problem. On some packaging machinery, electric eye means are provided near the array assembling station coupled with operator alerting or package removing means for dealing with misoriented packages. However, such a solution is not wholly satisfactory as it does nothing to prevent the problem, but only to limit adverse consequences thereof. Misoriented packages still had to be manually repositioned or, if automatically ejected from the line, had to be individually handled, for instance, put in cartons by hand when enough misoriented packages to ll a carton had been ejected.

Summary of the invention The present invention provides a package stabilizer constructed and adapted to guide a line of discrete mov- 3,447,482 Patented June 3, 1969 lCC ing packages as they condense into a row wherein the packages abut one another in facewise relationship, while largely preventing misorientation of the packages, so the condensed rows can be serially transferred to an accumulator against an increasing tension provided by the stabilizer with assurance that the desired array will be repeatedly and reliably automatically produced.

Brief description of the drawing FIGURE 1 is a side elevation view of a package stabilizer constructed according to the principles of the invention;

FIGURE 2 is a top plan view of the package stabilizer of FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 3 is a transverse sectional view at the vertical cutting .plane 3-3 of FIGURE 2, looking in the direction of the arrows; and

FIGURE 4 is a fragmentary perspective view of the package stabilizer looking upstream of the packaging operation from one side and somewhat above the package stabilizer.

Description of the preferred embodiment In FIGURE l, the package stabilizer 10 s shown in typical juxtaposition with other schematically illustrated elements of a packaging line. In this typical illustration, a bag lling and closing line is (not shown) behind the apparatus shown. Filled and closed bags are conveyed one after another in an upright, spaced, single le toward the viewer on a conveyor belt 12. At an accumulation and transfer station 14, at the plane of which FIGURE l is taken, the belt 12 conveys the bags into a guide chute 16 having its end defined by a vertical stop plate (not shown, in front of the plane of FIGURE 1) transverse to the travel direction of the bags on the belt 12. l

The sides of the guide chute 16 leading to the stop plate are formed, at least in part by a ram pusher bar 18, at the left, and the stabilizer plate 20 of the package stabilizer 10, at the right, when the plate 20 is in the datum position 20' thereof, illustrated in dashed lines in FIGURE 1. In the embodiment illustrated, the ram pusher bar 18 and stabilizer plate 20 are each as wide as four facewise abutting bags, and an accumulator table 22 underlying the accumulation and transfer station 14 is adapted to receive a four bag-by-six bag rectangular array of facewise abutting bags in abutting side-by-side rows.

Overlying the conveyor belt 12 and accumulator table 22, extending horizontally, transversely, are two parallel, laterally spaced trolley support rails 24 which are rectangular in cross section and have forward ends 26 and rearward ends 28 supported by pier elements 30 with respect to the packaging line. A trolley 32, having a frame that includes lateral struts 34 secured at each end to vertical plates 36, is mounted on the rails 24 via wheels. In the embodiment illustrated, the plates 36 are closely adjacent the innermost sides of the tracks and each mounts four wheels 38, 40, 42, 44 in adjustable eccentric bushing means 46 having horizontal axles. The wheels 38 and 40 on each side are in vertical alignment toward the front of the trolley with their respective bushings so adjusted that the vertical distance between respective wheel pairs 38, 40 is very slightly larger than the vertical thickness of the respective rails. The wheels 42 and 44 on each side are in vertical alignment toward the rear of the trolley with their respective bushings so adjusted that the vertical distance between wheel pairs 42, 44 is very slightly larger than the vertical thickness of the respective rails. Completing the trolley -mounting arrangement are two tabs 48 which laterally outwardly project from the plates 36 intermediate the wheel pairs 38, 40 and 42, 44. Each tab has adjustable eccentric bushing means 50 having a vertical raxle on which a wheel 52 is mounted. The bushings 3 are so adjusted that the lateral distance between the two wheels 52 at their closest approach is very slightly larger than the lateral distance between the vertical outer sides of the two rails 24. Thus, the trolley is essentially limited to leftward and rightward translation longitudinally of the tracks and cannot bounce, cock or skew. As the wheels and tracks wear, the bushings 46 and 50 can periodically be adjusted to maintain this relationship.

The stabilizer plate 20 is xedly mounted on the trolley 32 in a depending relationship, for instance, \via rigid vertical ibars 54, bolted at their upper ends to the central lateral strut 34 of the trolley and secured, for instance, by welding, bolting or the like, to the rear face of the stabilizer plate 20. Accordingly, the stabilizer plate 20 is essentially movable with respect to only a single axis, longitudinally with respect to the rails 24.

The leftward limit of travel of the trolley and stabilizer plate is provided by a stop bar 56 mounted on each rail 24. When the trolley wheels 38 strike the stop bars 56, the stabilizer plate is in its dashed line datum position 20.

The rightwar'd limit of travel of the trolley and stabilizer plate is elfectively imposed by the counterweight mechanism 58 more fully discussed below, but to ensure that the trolley never runs rightwardly off the rails, trolley intercepting stops 60 may be provided near the rail ends 28.

The trolley 32 is completed by a centrally rearwardly projecting switch trip finger 62 arranged to contact the actuator 64 of a switch S when the trolley 32 reaches a predetermined location near the rail ends 28.

The counterweight mechanism 58 is shown mounted leftward of the conveyor belt 12 near the rail ends 26 on a horizontal plate 66 having two upwardly directed opposed bearing plates 68, spaced from one another in the direction of travel of the belt 12. The plates 68 each carry bearings 70 at their upper end, in which -a shaft 72 is mounted for free rotation about its own longitudinal axis.

A brake drum 74 is xed on the shaft 72 intermediate the ends thereof. A flexible strap-type brake shoe 76 is shown having one end 78 secured to the plate 66, extending over the drum 74 in contact therewith, and having a depending brake weight 80 secured to its free end 81, facing the trolley. Adjacent one of the bearing plates 68, a roller chain sprocket 82 is mounted on the shaft 72 for free rotation independently of the shaft 72. A ratchet gear 84 is xedly mounted on the shaft 72 adjacent one face 86 of the sprocket 82. A rachet pawl 88 is pivota-bly mounted on the face 86 of the sprocket 82. The sprocket, rachet gear and pawl are so constructed, arranged and mounted that when the sprocket 82 turns counterclockwise as seen in FIGURE 3, the pawl does not engage rachet teeth and so the shaft 72 and brake drum 74 remain stationary, allowing unimpeded rotation of the sprocket 82; however, when the sprocket 82 turns A clockwise as seen in FIGURE 3, the pawl engages the rachet gear teeth causing the rachet gear, shaft 72 and brake drum 74 to rotate, the brake 74-81 imposing a constant drag on the rotation of the sprocket 82.

The apparatus shown in the drawings is completed by a roller chain 90 connected at one end 92 to the central region of the foremost strut of the trolley, proceeding longitudinally of the rails 24, being entrained over the sprocket 82 and depending therefrom downwardly, to the right (FIGURE l) then upwardly forming a loop 94 which terminates at a chain end 96 secured to a xed support 98. Weights 100 are attached to the chain within the datum position loop 94 and between the loop 94 and the fixed support 98.

It should now be evident that as the trolley and stabilizer plate are pushed to the right by packages being transfered rightwardly by the ram pusher bar 18, the brake 7481 acting via the shaft 72, rachet gear 84, pawl 88, sprocket 82 and roller chain 90, exerts an anti-overrunning constant tension on the trolley and stabilizer plate 20; and the chain loop 94 is shortened, raising the weights on the left leg 102 of the chain 94 to produce a gradual increase in the tension in the chain. The weights 100 are empirically so adjusted and positioned that the tension increase is approximately proportioned to the increase in'mass of bags against which the stabilizer plate 20 is bearing the net tension is at each stage insuflicient to prevent the pusher bar 18 from pushing each next row of Ibags off the conveyor Ibelt 12 and on to the accumulator table 22 and insufficient to return the bags leftwardly after the pusher bar has reciprocated back to its datum position 18, but is sucient to allow the pusher bar 18' to`rapidly, positively transfer bags rightwardly without upsetting or disorienting bags from their close packed rectangular array and suicient to prevent overrunning of the stabilizer plate as the pusher bar reaches the end of its rightward stroke.

With attention now to the typical operation depicted in FIGURE 1, it can be seen that five closed packed four package rows A, B, C, D and E have been successively pushed by the pusher bar 18 onto the accumulator table 22 and a further, iinal row F is being pushed onto the table, pushing the rows A-E and the trolley and stabilizer plate 20 all rightwardly on increment equal to the width of the row F. The transfer of the row F is depicted in a half-complete condition. It can 'be seen that as the row F transfer is completed, the finger 62 will depress the switch actuator 64. The switch S will then initiate via the motor means M a rapid translation of the accumulator table, either downwardly or sideways, depositing the array of vpackages in a carton, or at a further station. The emptied, or another, accumulator table 22 is then rapidly moved to the position shown, `by any suitable means.

-r As soon as the package array A-F is removed from against the stabilizer plate 20, the trolley and stabilizer plate are rapidly returned leftwardly to the datum position by the weights acting on the roller chain entrained over the now free wheeling sprocket 82.

By this time, a new row A of four packages is advancing into the transfer and accumulation station on the conveyor belt 12 and the returned stabilizer plate, once again at the datum position 20' is there to guide them as they condense, ready for transfer upon actuation of the pusher bar 18. The ram pusher bar 18 may conveniently be hydraulically actuated by a conventional automatic timing mechanism.

It should be evident that the package stabilizer 10 could be' used at a different stage in the same packaging operation, for instance by turning it 90 degrees about a vertical axis so that pac-kages advanced by the conveyor belt 12" would engage and push back the stabilizer plate 20 until the pusher bar 18 was activated, pushing the accumulated packages at a right angle to their advance and allowing the stabilizer plate to return to a datum position.

It should also be evident that the package stabilizer 10 need not `be operated in a horizontal plane, since with little modification it is susceptible of use in an inclined or vertical plane.

From the foregoing description, with reference to the illustrated embodiment, the principles and scope of applicability of the present invention should be clear. The embodiment shown can be considerably modied without departing from these principles.

What is claimed is:

1. Apparatus for stabilizing packages comprising rail means, said rail means having a forward end and a rearward end; a trolley mounted on said rail means for essentially longitudinal movement therealong, a stabilizer plate secured to the trolley so as to project therefrom transversely to and normally of said rail means, a counterweight device mounted near said rail means forward end and including: two bearing means spaced from one another transversely of the rail means; a shaft extending between said two bearing means and journaled therein for rotation about its own longitudinal axis brake means associated with said shaft retardng rotation thereof; a sprocket mounted co-axially with said shaft for free rotation about its own longitudinal axis; cooperative means on said shaft and said sprocket Ikeying said sprocket to said shaft only when said sprocket is rotating toward said trolley, said sprocket being rotatable independent of said shaft when said sprocket is rotating away from said trolley; a chain secured at one end to the forward end of the trolley, and extending longitudinally forwardly, being entrained over said sprocket, depending therefrom, being looped longitudinally toward the trolley and terminating in another end secured to a fixed support.

2. The -apparatus of claim 1 further having means delining stops on said rail means near the forward end thereof for limiting forward travel of the trolley so as to provide a datum position for said stabilizer plate.

3. The apparatus of claim 2, further comprising a plurality of weights secured to said chain in the looped region thereof, said weights being so positioned that when said stabilizer plate is in said datum position, said weights are located between the lowest point of the looped region of the chain and said chain other end.

4. The apparatus of claim 3 wherein the brake means comprises a brake drum fixed on said shaft, and a flexible strap-type brake shoe draped over said brake drum, having one end thereof on the opposite side of the shaft from the trolley secured to a fixed support and having a weight secured on the opposite, free end thereof.

5. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein the cooperative means comprises a rachet gear fixed on the shaft adjacent one face of the sprocket and a pawl pivotally mounted on said sprocket face Eand positioned for operative engagement with the rachet gear.

6. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein the rail means comprise two parallel rails of rectangular transverse crosssection and said trolley is mounted on said rails lvia wheel means positioned to simultaneously rolling engage the upper, lower and laterally outer faces of said rails.

7. In apparatus for conveying a row of packages to a right angle transfer station via right angle package rapidly pushing means: a package stabilizer arranged to spacedly face the pushing means as the packages are conveyed into the transfer station, thus guiding the packages to prevent misorientation; means mounting and tensioning the package stabilizer for regressive movement in compressive, stabilizing contact with the packages during the rapid right angle transfer thereof to build up an increasing thick array of packages, the amount of said tensioning being insuicient to effect movement of said packages back toward the package rapidly pushing means upon cessation of contact between the package rapidly pushing means and the transferred packages; said mounting and tensioning means including means for automatically increasing the amount of said tensioning in correspondence to each addition of a package mass to said array by said package rapidly pushing means; braking means; means operatively connecting said braking means to said mounting and tensioning means during regressive movement of said package stabilizer, for preventing overrunning of the package stabilizer as the package rapidly pushing means reaches the full extent of its push toward said package stabilizer; means associated with said mounting and tensioning means for rapidly returning the package stabilizer to the prerecession positioning thereof upon removal of the transferred packages from the ambit of the package stabilizer and including means disconnecting said Ibraking means operatively connecting means from said mounting and tensioning means during return of the package stabilizer.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,208,604 9/ 1965 Taylor 214-7 3,251,485 5/ 1966 Faucher 214-6 3,272,352 9/ 1966 Adams 214--7 FOREIGN PATENTS 1,399,480 4/ 1965 France.

1,148,191 8/ 1956 Germany.

ARTHUR L. LA POINT, Primary Examiner. D. E. WORTH III, Assistant Examiner.

U.S. Cl. X.R. 104-117 

